IELTS SPEAKING TOPIC: PLACE & ENVIRONMENT

Sample & Mock Test

Part one

Yes, definitely! I think seeing the world, from great historical monuments to white sandy beaches, is what life is all about. It's a very interesting way to learn about new cultures and explore new places.

I really like going to the countryside, getting away from it all. Nothing relaxes me as much as wilderness... I am tired of tourist traps and usually go off the beaten track...

I prefer visiting various museums and places of interest. For instance, on my last vacation I was to Rome and I visited 12 museums. It was fantastic! Of course, sometimes I go shopping with my friends or relatives too... But I don't find it near as exciting.

Probably yes... My country has different tourist attractions in many cities, especially the capital... For example, my country has old-time religious traditions... That's why we have a lot of ancient cathedrals and churches that are interesting for both tourists and local citizens...

I would love to visit Switzerland which famous for the great mountains, beautiful lakes, and pretty villages with the most stunning landscape on the earth. Having a holiday with my family to Switzerland always be my biggest dream.

I born in Bandung. It's quite a big city with high population. It is the third largest and the fourth most populous city in my country. 

Bandung is blessed with cool temperature and refreshing atmosphere since it is located at the altitude of almost 800m, which means high and is surrounded by mountains. It also has many fascinating destinations that offer an outstanding natural beauty.

In the town, there are lots of Victorian houses constructed from locally made bricks and some modern shops and offices. We certainly don’t have any high-rise apartments or skyscrapers in the area.

The most famous monument is a clock tower called the Albert Clock in memory of Prince Albert the husband of Queen Victoria. There’s also a war memorial in the park.

Yes, I particularly enjoy visiting old manor houses and I’m lucky that there are several interesting ones in the area where I live. I also like looking around old ruins both in my own country and abroad.

I’d say that there are three – a church with a tall steeple, a six-storeyoffice block that’s an ugly monstrosity and a hill that used to have an old castle on it.

When I was in Australia, I went to the Sydney Opera House. It’s the most stunning piece of architecture I’ve ever seen and such an iconicbuilding.

When it comes to the weather, at night, my favorite one is the rain . The rhythmic, quiet sound of rain can be a remarkably good lullaby for people who are trying to sleep. Some studies have shown that the sound of rain actually causes the brain relax unconsciously, pushing it towards a state of sleepiness. But gloomy days put me in a bad mood. I feel so much more cheerful and full of energy when it’s sunny, whatever season it is. Even a break in the weather on an overcast day lifts my spirits. 

I'm from Indonesia, whose climate is almost entirely tropical with high humidity and hot temperature. We will be easy to get sweat, that's why we need to make sure that we drink enough water to stay hydrate

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Our weather is very unpredictable. One minute it can be lovely sunshine, the next we’re experiencing a downpour. The UK is well-known for this.

There are some quite marked regional differences. I live in the south-west where it's mild but we get high precipitation. It’s drier in the east and they actually had a drought this summer. Further north, it’s very cold in winter and they get heavy snow.

Yes and no. I get frustrated that we have so many rainy days but we do have some glorious weather as well. When the sun comes out and there’s not a cloud in the sky, I couldn't be happier.

Well, I think it's spring... The weather is very pleasant and it's nice to see everything come back to life and blossom.

No, not really... For me winter is the most depressing season, because where I live is freezing cold in the winter. Moreover, the days are short and you can't do a lot of outdoor activities.

Yes, definitely. Air and water pollution are huge issues in the modern world... The air pollution problem is especially grave (severe, serious) due to the increasing amount of exhaust fumes, which are produced by cars, and result into a poor air quality

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I think it’s a massive issue. It really worries me how much damage we are doing to the natural environment, especially how we pollute the oceans with plastic waste and release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

A lot of things... First of all, I don't litter. Also, my family and me try to buy only environmentally friendly goods whenever we can... And finally, I try to save trees... I print on both sides of every sheet of paper I use and use any left over white space to scribble notes

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I recycle as much rubbish as I can and I walk when possible rather than driving or taking public transport in order to reduce my carbon footprint.

Yes, of course! Last year I participated in an event in my hometown, which was all about preserving nature... We were taught about the greenhouse effect and I learned about many endangered species in the world.

Not at the moment. I wanted to change my house to solar power but the panels are too expensive for me to buy so, unfortunately, I still use fossil fuels.

I love all wildlife. My garden is the perfect habitat for hedgehogs. They are nocturnal but if I go out after dark with a torch I sometimes see one.

Most definitely. In my country, the weather is changing because of global warming and we get more bad storms than before. Governments and individuals need to do more to combat climate change.

We certainly seem to have experienced more violent storms and torrential rain in recent years. This has caused serious flooding in some places. A village near where I live had a flash flood this summer which washed away cars and a few buildings. People say global warming is to blame.

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Part Two

You should say:
When you visited it
Where is it situated
Who you went with
what about it you like the most

A couple of years ago I went on a holiday to Paris with my parents… it is a very popular tourist destination, since it has various places of interest, such as ancient museums and monuments… That's why there are always hordes of tourists... So we decided to go out of season in the autumn…

Fortunately, the weather was great, and we did not waste any days watching TV at the hotel... it was a memorable holiday … we enjoyed breathtaking views from the top of the Eiffel tower and dined in cozy little restaurants. I would certainly recommend visiting Paris, it is a picturesque city.

You should say:
where you went
who you spent time with
what you did
why it was special for you.

Today I’m going to share with you a short vacation that left me a profound impression. It was a trip to the hometown of one of my classmates at university.

At the end of the second semester, our group at the university was invited to pay a 5-day visit to the house of one of the group members, which is located in An Giang province. We had 5 people in total and bought coach tickets to reach our destination.

On arriving at the countryside, which is quite secluded from the hustle and bustle of the city life, we were greatly impressed by the picturesque landscapes there. The atmosphere was refreshing and the air is unpolluted unlike in the city where many of us were living in. 

My friend acted as a tour guide as he was well accustomed to the local lifestyles and tourist attractions there. We took the motorbikes to tour the city land stopped at some street vendors to taste the local cuisine, which I personally found tasty and delicate. After doing the sights, we gathered in the evening for some small games and gossip about our study and our future career path.

All in all, such a short vacation still fills me with great delight each time I recall it. Hope that we could make another vacation someday before Lunar New Year.

You should say:
when the photo was taken
how this photograph was taken
where the photo was taken
who took the photo
why the photo was taken or why you think it is a good photo

The photo I would like to describe is a scenic, which was just taken by my phone. Although this photo is just a normal scenic, it was taken in a special place, which is on helicopter. 

In summer holiday last year, my roommate and I decide to go to America for a one-month travelling. When we arrived there, we heard from local that Grand Canyon is the most famous attraction in California. People living there suggested us that viewing canyon scenery from sky was the best choice. And we felt really moved and interested in their words. 

So we immediately booked tickets for sky tour of Grand Canyon. Originally, I planned to enjoy the first time of the sky tour, but actually the helicopter shaked heavily and it was difficult to take any photos during flying. This made me dizzy. You know, I looked outside the window and enjoyed views by eyes without taking any photos. 

Luckily, after we got off from the helicopter, my roommate told me that she used her phone, taking a photo for me. The photo has splendid background of the whole Grand Canyon and I was looking at the window. I love this photo and use it as my desktop until now.

You should say:
what style it is
what it looks like
where you can see it
and explain why you like this style
I like many different styles of architecture but my favourite is probably Art Deco. The exterior of buildings designed in this style generally looks symmetrical. They’re not at all ornate, in fact, you’d say they were quite plain. Yet I find them so beautiful, with elegant lines and simple shapes.
The façade is often decorated with geometric patterns created from straight lines or from stylised designs based on plants, animals and sunrays like you see on Art Deco furniture, jewellery and other artefacts of the 1920s and 1930s when the style was developed. The most popularbuilding material was concrete but glazed brick was also used.
Architects designed Art Deco houses, public buildings and commercial buildings and most of them are still standing today. During the 20s and 30s, many cinemas were built in towns and cities across the country. Lots of them closed down when new multiplex movie theatres were constructed. Some fell into disrepair and had to be demolishedbut others have been renovated for use as shops and their Art Decofeatures preserved. There is one in my town which is now a night club.
Although it’s long past its heyday, Art Deco has remained popular as a design style and you can sometimes see it in modern buildings. For example, the new bus station in my town has many Art Deco features, in particular, the style of the windows, the shape and symmetry of the building and the decoration around the large clock set in the wall.
For people who are real fans of Art Deco architecture, I recommend that they visit the town of Napier in New Zealand because almost every building is Art Deco. It’s an amazing place. They have tour guides to show you around and tell you about the history of the town. Sadly it was destroyed in an earthquake in 1931 and completely rebuild in the architectural style of the day – Art Deco. I don’t think there is anywhere else in the world like it and I’m sure that it was my visit there that really got me interested in this beautiful architectural style.

You should say:
What is it
Where is it happening
What problems does it cause
I would like to talk about global warming. In my opinion, it is a big, if not the biggest, problem that we are facing nowadays. The main reason of global warming is the greenhouse effect ... Nowadays people are producing excessive amounts of greenhouse gases, mostly by burning fossil fuels. These gases let sunlight in, which warms the Earth, and then block that heat from leaving... That breaks the delicate natural balance and causes our planet to warm... As global warming changes the climate on the whole planet, it affects all countries in the world and causes many serious problems... For example, global warming causes melting of glaciers, which in turn raises the sea-level... Eventually, coastal areas are flooding and agriculture is damaged unless appropriate measures are taken... As it is a worldwide problem, I think that only joint efforts will help us to overcome this issue

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There are a number of serious environmental problems being covered by the media at the moment but the one I’d like to talk about is the deforestation of vast areas of rainforest to grow palm oil. I’m not sure when it started to become a concern to environmentalist but I know that they’re increasingly worried about it.

This land clearance is on a huge scale and the forest is often just burned down. This sends large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions into theatmosphere which contribute to global warming and climate change. This affects everyone on the planet.

Just as important is the effect on the native wildlife. Deforestation to grow palm oil in Borneo and Sumatra destroys the natural habitat of orang utans as well as many other animals. Conservationists estimate that unless the situation changes, the orang utan and Sumatran tiger could become extinct in the wild in the next 5-10 years. In fact, a third of all mammal species in Indonesia are thought to be critically endangeredbecause of this type of unsustainable development.

Furthermore, the oil palm plantations that replace the rich vegetation of the rainforest support very low levels of biodiversity and create a totally a different ecosystem. I don’t fully understand why the loss of biodiversity is such a problem but I did read somewhere that it means that our food crops are more vulnerable to pest and diseases. This could lead to serious food shortages in the future.

I think that the palm oil industry and its associated problems are going to be difficult to change. Perhaps it’s consumers who can have the biggest impact by refusing to buy products containing palm oil which is in around 40-50% of common household products in many developed countries. In the UK, there’s already one major food retailer that has promised to ban palm oil in its own products. This I really encouraging and I hope other companies will do the same soon.

You should say:
What the weather is like
Why do you like it
Where you can exprerience such weather conditions.
It may sound strange, but my favourite weather is when it is cloudy, windy and drizzling as it makes me feel calm and relaxed... I like such weather especially at night because I can hear the little raindrops falling and see the dew on the window, and it helps me to sleep... It is very pleasant... Also, I love foggy weather... It's very romantic and gives me a sort of feeling like I'm in an old black and white movie. However, I don't like heavy rains and downpours. And I hate when temperature goes below zero, it's too cold for me. Probably, the type of weather I like is common for the United Kingdom... But in my hometown such type of weather is very rare. Usually, we have dry and sunny days with occasional spells of rainy weather

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That’s really difficult as I like things about every season but if I had to choose one, I guess I’d go for spring. It covers the months of March, April and May in my country and is actually the time of year I was born.

I spend the cold winter months looking forward to the first signs of springas nature comes back to life with the change of the season – things like the snowdrops poking through the soil, colourful daffodils and crocuses, blossom on the trees, shiny new leaves and the birds singing their hearts out as they build their nests. It’s such a lovely time of year.

The weather gradually improves week by week, although we can still get frost right up to the end of April and even snow, but it’s usually just sleetand turns to slush as soon as it touches the ground. Hail storms are quite common and bright rainbows, which we see as a promise of fine weather to come.

Whilst there’s plenty of warm sunshine in spring, a shower of rain is never far away and the wind tends to be quite chilly so you need to dress up warm to go out. I keep a close eye on the weather forecastbefore making plans as to what to do.

To sum up the weather, you’d have to say that it’s changeable – a mixture of sunny spells and cloudbursts is how I’d describe it.

As the temperature rises, I definitely get more active. I start to take longer walks and go out on my bike more often. Weather permitting, we often have a barbecue on my birthday. 

I also get stuck into some gardening. There’s always lots of cutting down and clearing up to do, plus the grass begins to grow again and needs cutting. At weekends, I go to the garden centre to buy bedding plants ready for a colourful summer display.

One of the best things of all about spring is the lighter evenings, such a relief after the dark winter months. You can now spend evenings outdoors if you want to rather than being stuck in watching TV.

So you see, there are lots of reasons why spring is my favourite month. I love the hotter weather of the summer, of course, but there’s something about the freshness of spring that makes it special.

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Part three

Well, because it is a lot easier to travel nowadays… you can choose charter flights and find various youth hostels all around the world, so you don’t need to spend much money on the travelling. Moreover, you can book a trip via the Internet, so you don't even have to leave home.

There are a lot of ways. For instance, you can surf the internet for all the necessary information… Or you can visit different travel agencies for more advice.

It depends… I usually reach my holiday destination by plane because it is the fastest and the least dangerous way to travel. However, flying can be a bit uncomfortable... So I also travel by train from time to time… But I never drive car on a vacation, because I do it every day when I work... I would have a busman's holiday otherwise.

I definitely prefer travelling alone because I like to plan the trip by myself... When choosing a guided tour, you should always conform to a set schedule… So if you are in India and, say, you want to spend an extra hour at Taj Mahal, you simply cannot do that with a group tour... I like independent travel. That way I get to see and do exactly what I want and spend as much time as I want at various stops.

In my country, people of all ages and from many different backgrounds enjoy looking around historic buildings. At the weekends and during school holidays they are popular with families who visit for a day out. Many old manor houses have extensive grounds which are ideal for the kids to run around and play in.

Lots of historic sites offer educational tours and activities for schools as they are the perfect place to learn about how people lived in the past. So, most historic houses get school trips visiting. Old castles are particularly popular with school kids.

Another common group of visitors is retired people because they have plenty of time for leisure activities. I think they are attracted by the tearooms as much all the interesting things there are to look at and learn about as most historic houses have one and they always serve delicious cakes.

Finally, I mustn’t forget the tourists. For the most famous historic buildings, they are the largest group of visitors.

That’s such a difficult question to answer. It costs millions of pounds to preserve historic buildings and there are many other important things that the money could be spent on. I suppose it depends where the money comes from.

I think it’s true to say that most of the money spent on restoring and maintaining the old properties in my country comes from donations, entrance fees and charitable funds. People want to visit historic buildings and are happy to pay for them to be looked after. If the government was responsible for their upkeep, it would be more difficult to justify the huge costs involved.

Of course, historic properties are part of our heritage and that’s important preserve. They also attract a large number of overseas tourists who contribute a significant amount to our economy.

So, weighing it up, I’d have to say that I do think it’s worth the money to preserve old buildings.

As far as houses are concerned, there are 3 main differences that I can think of. First, it’s now common to see three-storey homes on new housing estates which you never used to get and there are not so many bungalows being built. This is because there is less building land available than, say, twenty years ago.

Second, new houses are more eco-friendly, with better insulation and improved double glazing to make them more energy efficient. 

Third, there are new rules concerning things like the width of doors and the height of switches so that new properties are wheelchair friendly. 

With regard to public buildings and commercial buildings, the development of stronger building materials and new construction techniques means that architects are beginning to design more Futuristic buildings.

Er... In my point of view, we damage the Earth in many ways. Just take a look at all those factories that empty toxic waste into rivers and lakes... People also destroy a great deal of natural areas in search of fossil fuels. Not to mentionpoaching and endangering of wild animals.

Yes, I would like to believe so... People are getting more and more aware of the major environmental issues that we're dealing with nowadays... I hope that we will get back to nature and start caring about our planet more.

I’d say that global warming and climate change have to come top of the list because these threaten the very future of life on our planet. There are many contributing factors such as the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation for agriculture and due to illegal logging, and large-scale livestock farming.

Another serious concern is for the marine life in our oceans which is under serious threat from pollution, especially waste plastics. These kill or injure thousands of sea creatures every day. Many species of wildlifeare also being pushed to the verge of extinction by poaching. It’s shocking to think that beautiful animals such as the tiger are dying out in the wild because of the actions of human beings.

There are many other environmental problems that we need to solve but these are the ones I believe to be the most serious.

Not at all. It’s the responsibility of every individual to do their bit to protectthe environment. Of course, governments can do a lot to address environmental issues through their policies and the laws they pass. I certainly think that governments should put more pressure on industry to use clean energy and to cut down on the emission of greenhouse gases that pollute the atmosphere and add to global warming.

In my country, the government encourages people to live an environmentally-friendly lifestyle by providing recycling services and facilities and subsidising renewable energy by giving grants to people wanting to run their homes on solar power. If more people took advantage of this, it would certainly help the environment.

There are many ways that each of us can help to care for the natural environment. Firstly, we can recycle as much of our rubbish as possible or, even better, cut down on our use of disposable products.

Secondly, we can become more energy-efficient by insulating our homes, turning off lights when they don’t need to be on and making short journeys by bicycle or on foot rather than going by vehicle. Cutting down on car journeys also means fewer polluting exhaust fumes entering the atmosphere.

Finally, we can make sure that we know about the major conservationissues our world is currently facing. If we are well-informed then we can take action to bring about change.

These are all measure we can take as individuals to help safeguard the environment.

Yes, it does... It affects the overall temperature of the world, making the weather warmer. Also, it often causes smogand gloomy weather.

Yes, I think that people respond to bad weather... In my opinion, during cold and dull days people are more depressed and irritated than usual... While bright sunshine and warmth makes us feel good

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As we have a fairly mild climate, people are able to enjoy the outdoors all times of the year. Of course, summer is the most popular time for going to the beach and such like but even on blustery winter’s days, you’ll see people out walking along the shore enjoying the fresh air. With our unpredictable weather, we’re used to getting caught in the rainwhatever the season so we just put on our waterproofs and off we go.

When it’s warm, people tend to take a picnic when they go out walking or cycling but in chilly weather, they’re more likely to stop off at a cosy pub or café for something to eat. 

One of the biggest differences in our lifestyle through the seasons is down to the variation in daylight hours. In summer, it’s light until around 10.30pm whilst in the middle of winter it’s dark by 3.30pm. No-one feels much like going out when it’s cold and dark so we stay at home more.

That’s something I’ve never considered but now I come to think of it, I’m sure they do. From my experience, people living in cold countries are fairly reserved and quite serious. Those living in hot climates, on the other hand, are more outgoing and full of life. That’s apart from the most humid regions where it’s so hot and sticky that you just want to sit around and do nothing all day.

Although I’d have to agree overall, I think there are many other factors than temperature and the weather that affect people’s personalities.

I believe that we’re facing many serious issues with our climate at the moment and they're only going to get worse unless we do something about global warming soon. 

In my country, the winters are getting milder and wetter and serious flooding is becoming common. It’s a real problem in many areas. However, that’s nothing compared to the devastating tropical storms that some parts of the world are experiencing, more violent ever before. Meteorologists predict that they will get even stronger in the future which is a great concern. 

One of the most serious problems of climate change is the melting of the icecaps as it’s causing rising sea levels. It’s possible that many coastal areas could be under water by the end of the century. Now that really is a worry.

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Other Vocabularies

all holiday: a time after you lost your job. 
He lost his job yesterday. Now it’s all holiday for him.

all-inclusive: a hotel deal where the price includes accommodation, meals and drinks at any time. 
I've never thought that hotels with all-incusive service are so comfortable! You can grab a piece of cake at 6 a.m. or get a cocktail at midnight.
half-board: if you request 'half-board' at a hotel, breakfast and dinner would be included in the hotel price (as part of the package). 
John and Lily liked their tour with half-board service. They spent breakfasts and dinners in the hotel and bought lunches in the nearby cafes.

full-board: if you request 'full-board' at a hotel, that would include all three meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) in the price of your accommodation.

self-catering: a holiday deal where meals are not provided. 
Mary thinks that self-catering is neither pleasant nor efficient. 

to book (something): to arrange and confirm a place on a flight, a room in a hotel or a ticket for an event in the future. 
If you book your plane tickets in advance, they will be much cheaper.

breathtaking view: an amazing view. 
I’ve seen many breathtaking views during my journey to Paris.

busman's holiday: when you spend your free time similarly to the time when you work. This expression comes from the idea that a bus driver would spend his holiday traveling somewhere on a bus.
Unfortunately, many people spend a busman’s holiday nowadays.

charter flight: a cheap regular flight.
Due to our modest budget, we had to take a charter-flight.

check-in desk: the place at the airport where you register for your flight and deposit your luggage.

far-off destination: a distant place.
Australia is a far-off destination, nonetheless I want to visit it.

getting away from it all: escaping in order to rest from a daily routine. 
After I passed my exams, I wanted to get away from it all for at least a couple of days.

go off the beaten track: to visit an uncommon place. 
Unlike my brother, I prefer to go off the beaten track.

guided tour: a tour in which a group of people is guided by an expert.
Guided tours are a great way to learn about different places of interest.

head for: go in a direction for. 
I’m heading for France for my next holidays.

holiday brochure: a publication with details of holiday. 
Our guide gave us a great brochure about our hotel.

holiday destination: where you go for a holiday.
We chose New York as our holiday destination for the next summer.

holiday of a lifetime: a very special holiday, once in a lifetime. 
Last year me and my family had a holiday of a lifetime in Italy.

holiday resort (tourist resort): a place where lots of people go for a holiday.
Last year my family went on a journey to London. We lived in a great tourist resort.

hordes of tourists: crowds of tourists. 
Hordes of tourist can be seen during summer near the city park.

in the middle of nowhere: in a place that is far away from where most people live. 
My grand-mother lives in the middle of nowhere, but she loves her old little village.

local crafts: thighs made in the region. 
My sister bought some amazing local crafts on her trip to India.

out of season: not within the main holiday period.
I decided to go on a journey with my friends out of season.

passport control: a place where you get your passport checked. 
I spent a few hours waiting in line on a passport control.

package tour: a holiday at a fixed price in which the travel company arranges your travel, hotels, and sometimes meals for you: 
We bought a cheap package tour to Italy and stayed in a big hotel by the sea.

picturesque village: a nice, beautiful village.
My grandparents live in a picturesque village.

places of interest: memorable and honorable places.
My native city has a variety of places of interest.

short break: a little holiday. 
My father had a short break this year, I hope he’ll be able to relax some more.

stunning landscape: a beautiful countryside. 
Stunning landscapes are only one of many reasons why I want to visit Africa.

to go sightseeing: to go visiting sights of interest. 
Today we went sightseeing with my friends. 

to travel on foot / horse
When I'm in a small town I prefer to travel on foot. 

to travel by bus / plane / car / bicycle / motorcycle
Although I usually travel by car, when I decided to visit Paris I had to travel by plane. 

tourist attractions: places which tourists tend to visit.
Despite not being a tourist attraction, new fountain is very popular among the locals.

tourist trap: place with many tourists.
We've visited many tourists traps lately.

travel agency: a shop that specializes in booking holidays. 
I've bought tickets for my trip through a travel agency.

wildlife safari: an observational holiday, mainly in Africa.
I’d love to go on a wildlife safari sometime.

youth hostel: a cheap hotel. 
During our trip we stayed in a hostel, because we didn’t have enough money for a hotel.

Residental areas, quality of life, historic cities, terrible crime, architecture, education, the weather, livable. the pollution.

• The theater district is very popular with tourists.
• The Back Bay is a beautiful residential area but quite expensive.
• It's a historic city with both traditional and modern architecture.
• It's a very livable city. There's great public transportation and many parks.
• Crime, pollution and the weather are important to a city's quality of life.
• The city is known for its extreme winters.

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We visited some friends in Boston last summer. We had an incredible time, but one day was extra special. Our friends took us to a baseball game. It was so much fun. The Boston Red Sox won the game, so everybody went crazy. After that, we went to an Italian restaurant in the North End. That's a famous restaurant district. The food was so good. It was a great day.

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• So what is Barcelona like? It's an incredible city.
• What are the best areas for renting apartments? You should look in the north, where it's cheaper.
• Where is the office located? It's right downtown in the financial district.
• There are museums and a symphony| Sounds like there's a very good quality of life.
• You can easily get by without a car|. I'm so relieved to hear that.
• Housing is so expensive. You'll need a roommate| That sounds reasonable. I'm open to anything.

---------------------------

MAN: Well, a historic city like that is very popular with tourists, so apartments are extremely expensive. You might want to look at residential areas far away from the city center.

WOMAN: That's good to know, but my office is right in the center of things.

MAN: Don't worry. Paris is known for its great public transportation. You won't need a car.
WOMAN: I'm so relieved to hear that. Where I'm living now, I can't imagine life without a car.

MAN: And I don't want to scare you, but you will be shocked by the rents. You might want to consider getting a roommate.

WOMAN: That sounds reasonable . I'm open to anything.

MAN: And despite the rents, it's a very livable city. People walk everywhere, and there's always so much to do. The museums are incredible and the food – well, you know, just wonderful.
WOMAN: It sounds like a really great quality of life.

---------------------------

air quality: the cleanliness of the air we breathe. 
Due to the opening of a new factory nearby, the air quality here went down.

bio-diversity: a diversity in nature, among plants and animals. 
Nowadays, we suffer the loss of bio-diversity.

loss of biodiversity – when species become extinct in an area and there is no longer such a great variety of species.

endangered species: a category of animals or plans that might become extinct.
White rhinos are endangered species. There are only 5 white rhinos left in the world.

environmentally friendly: products that do not harm the environment.
I try to use only environmentally friendly goods in order to preserve the nature.

environmentalist – a person who chooses a lifestyle that is designed to minimise their impact on the natural environment and who campaigns for environmental issues.
- Plans to build a new road alongside the lake drew fierce oppositions from environmentalists.

environmental hazard – a substance or an event which has the potential to threaten the surrounding natural environment.
- The illegal storage of toxic waste presents a significant environmental hazard.

environmental disaster – a catastrophic event affecting the environment due to human activity.
- When the oil tanker ran aground, it caused an environmental disasterfrom which it took the local wildlife many years to recover.

conservation – the protection of plants, animals and natural resources, usually by planned human action.
- It was Dimitri’s dream to get a job in conservation.

conservationist – a person who takes action to protect the environment from damage caused by humans.
- Conservationists are working hard to protect the breeding grounds of sea turtles.

conservation programme – an organised plan to protect a specific natural area or aspect of the natural environment.
- Next year I’m planning to volunteer on a conservation programme in Spain which researches dolphins.

• wildlife conservation – the protection of wildlife.
• nature conservation – work that protects natural resources including wildlife, rivers, forests and other natural landscapes.
• energy conservation – the effort made to use less energy.

exhaust fumes: gases, ejected from an engine as waste products.
I bought an electric car to avoid producing exhaust fumes when I drive.

fossil fuels: energy resources like gas and oil.
Gas is one of the most well-known fossil fuels.

global warming: an increase in temperature all-over the world, as a result of greenhouse effect.
Global worming is a very serious problem that our society is dealing with.

greenhouse effect: heating of the atmosphere due to the carbon dioxide and other gases. 
Greenhouse effect causes global warming.

melting of glaciers: the process of icebergs' melting.
Melting of glaciers increases the sea-level.

natural disaster: an event like an earthquake, hurricane etc.
I experienced a natural disaster in the form of an earthquake last year.

paper recycling: the processes of reprocessing waste paper for reuse. 
It was found that paper recycling causes 35% less water pollution and 74% less air pollution than making virgin paper.

poacher: one who kills or takes wild animals illegally.
Poaching is considered a violation of hunting rules and impedes wildlife conservation.

toxic waste: poisonous rubbish, produced by industrial processes.
Many factories in my city dump toxic waste into rivers and lakes.

to become extinct: to stop existing. 
Dinosaurs became extinct may centuries ago.

to be under threat: to be in danger of becoming extinct. 
White Rhinos are under the threat of becoming extinct.

to dry up: to have all the water drained away. 
The small river in my hometown dried up this summer due to the enormous heat.

to get back to nature: live a life that is closer to nature. 
My friend decided to leave his boring job and move to the countryside to get back to nature.

to litter: to throw rubbish in inappropriate places. 
I always try to find a garbage bin to throw my trash in. I don't like to litter

wildlife – animals that live in the wild in natural conditions. Birds, fish and insects are often included in the definition.
- Every evening, a wide variety of wildlife came to the waterhole to drink.

local wildlife – the wildlife to be found in a particular area.
- The children did a school project on their local wildlife.

native wildlife – wildlife that naturally lives in a particular area and is not there as a result of human intervention.
When cats were introduced to the island, they hunted the native wildlife and cause a rapid decline in many species.

creature – any living thing that can move independently.
There are some fascinating creatures living in the deep ocean that we know hardly anything about. 

fauna – the animals of a particular region or habitat.
- The group of scientists lived in tents while studying the fauna of the remote mountain region.

flora – the plants of a particular region or habitat.
- Much of the native  flora of Australia isn’t found naturally anywhere else in the world.

vegetation – the collective name for all the plants growing in a particular place or area.
- Tropical regions are known for their dense  vegetation.

species – a group of animals or plants that have similar characteristics and can reproduce together.
- Lions are a species of wild cat.

• threatened species – a species that is likely to become endangered in the near future.
• rare species – an uncommon or scarce species.
• protected species – a species which it is forbidden to harm by law.
• extinct species – a species of which there are no more alive.

ecosystem – all the living things in an environment and the complex relationship between each of them and that environment.
- Coral reefs have a delicately balanced ecosystem which can be seriously damaged by overfishing.

• delicately balanced ecosystem – an ecosystem where the loss of a key species, or several significant species, can seriously affect it.
• fragile ecosystem – an ecosystem that does not adapt easily to change and is easily destroyed by human or physical impact. 

Mother Nature – nature or weather considered as a force that controls all living things.
- It’s far better to try and work with Mother Nature than again it.

ecology – the relationship between animals, plants, people and their environment in a particular area, or the study of this.
- Ben studied the coastal ecology of Lundy Island in his final year at university.

habitat – the natural home or environment of an animal, plant or other organism.
- The loss of their natural habitat through deforestation is a serious threat to the orang utan in Borneo.

to inhabit – to live in a certain place.
- The rainforest is inhabited by many different species of monkey.

natural surroundings – the habitat in which a species would naturally live.
- The best thing about going on safari is seeing the animals in their natural surroundings rather than caged up in a zoo.

to adapt – to change or adjust in response to new conditions.
- With the loss of large areas of countryside to housing development, foxes have had to adapt to living in towns.

to evolve – change or develop gradually.
- Scientists now believe that humans evolved from apes.

evolution – the process by which living things slowly change and develop over a long period of time.
- The theory of evolution states that all life on Earth today evolved over millions of years from simple organisms.

thrive – to grow and develop well or quickly.
- The leopard seal is well adapted to the cold and thrives in the fish-rich waters of the Arctic.

marine – related to or found in the sea.
- Marine wildlife is badly affected by the amount of waste plastic in our oceans.

nocturnal – active at night.
- Almost all species of bats are nocturnal, preferring to hunt or search for food at night rather than during the day.

migrate – to move from one region or habitat to another, usually when the season changes.
- Many birds migrate south to warmer climates in the winter.

extinction – being completely destroyed so that it no longer exists.
- The dodo, a flightless bird once found in Mauritius, was hunted to extinction by 1681.

dying out – to become increasingly less common, almost to the point of extinction.
- Tigers are in serious danger of dying out in the wild.

climate – the general weather conditions usually found in a particular place.
- Egypt has a hot, dry climate with very little rainfall.

climate change – a change in global or regional temperature patterns.
- Climate change has led to the melting of the polar ice caps.

combat climate change – to stop or reverse the effects of climate change.
- It is only by countries working together to combat climate change that we will save our planet.

natural resources – materials or substances that exist in nature, such as coal, oil, and timber,  and can be used by people.
- The success of humans as a species has been largely due to their ability to exploit the Earth’s natural resources.

rich in natural resources – having a lot of natural resources.
- It is believed that Antarctica is rich in natural resources but many fear an ecological disaster if mining is allowed to go ahead.

fossil fuels – a fuel, such as coal, oil and gas, that is formed in the earth from dead plants and animals.
- Fossil fuels give off large amounts of carbon when burned which is damaging to the atmosphere.

atmosphere – the layer of gases surrounding the Earth or any other planet.
- Asteroids usually burn up when they enter the Earth’s atmosphere.

ozone layer – a layer of the colourless gas ozone that exists high above the Earth's surface and which prevents harmful ultraviolet light from the sun from reaching the Earth.
- Without the ozone layer, it would be very difficult for anything to survive on Earth.

carbon dioxide – a gas formed when carbon is burned, or when people or animals breathe out.
- Trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen which helps to keep our atmosphere healthy.

carbon monoxide – a poisonous gas formed by the burning of carbon, especially in the form of car fuel.
- You can’t smell carbon monoxide which makes it a deadly killer, so it’s important to install a carbon monoxide alarm near your gas boiler.

greenhouse gas – a gas in the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide, that absorbs radiation and gives off heat.
- Greenhouse gases contribute to the problem of global warming.

greenhouse effect – the gradual warming of the surface of the Earth due to greenhouse gases being trapped in the atmosphere above the Earth.
-The greenhouse effect is believed by many to be responsible for climate change.

erosion – the gradual wearing-away of something by the natural forces of the wind, rain and water.
- Crop rotation is important to ensure the soil isn’t left bare and subject to erosion by the wind and rain.

• coastal erosion – damage to the coastline caused mainly by waves.
• soil erosion – removal of the upper layer of the soil, mainly by water or wind.
• wind erosion – a process where soil or rocks are worn away by the wind.

deforestation – the cutting down or burning of all the trees in an area.
- Deforestation results in the loss of habitat for millions of species, leads to soil erosion and, according to scientists, is a major cause of climate change.

land clearance – the process of removing vegetation to create new areas of land suitable for farming.
- Land clearance leaves the soil bare and at risk of serious erosion.

logging – to cut down trees for their timber.
- Uncontrolled logging is destroying vast areas of our precious rainforests.

pollution – damage to water, air or land by harmful substances and waste materials.
- In some cities, the air pollution is so bad that people have to wear face masks when they go out.

to pollute – to contaminate water, air or land with harmful substances and waste materials.
- In many countries, heavy industry continues to seriously pollute the environment.

emissions – the production and discharge of something, especially gas.
- Many countries are reluctant to reduce toxic emissions as the huge expense involved can affect the rate of economic growth.

carbon footprint – the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere as a result of the activities of a particular individual or organization.
- I have reduced my carbon footprint by cycling to work instead of driving.

global warming – a gradual increase in world temperatures caused by polluting gases, such as carbon dioxide, which are collecting in the air around the Earth and preventing heat from escaping into space.
- It’s not too late to reverse the effects of global warming but we must act right now.

• to fight / to combat / to tackle global warming – take action to reverse the effects or promote the issue of global warming. 
• contribute to global warming – to add to the problem of global warming.
• the effects of global warming – the environmental changes caused by global warming such as climate change.

disposable products – items that are intended to be thrown away after use, generally after just one or a few uses.
- When I was young, things were made to last a long time and be used over and over again, but now we live in a world of disposable products and have a huge waste problem.

dumping ground – a place where things that are not wanted are left
- If we continue treating our oceans as a dumping ground, it will eventually become too polluted to sustain life.

acid rain – rain rainfall made so acidic by atmospheric pollution caused by burning fossil fuels that it causes environmental harm, especially to forests and lakes.
- In Poland, large areas of forest have been destroyed by acid rain.

to contaminate – to make something poisonous as a result of adding waste or chemicals.
- Pesticide and fertilisers used on the field can contaminate rivers and kill all the fish.

degradation – the process in which the quality of something is damaged or destroyed.
- Soil degradation due to over-farming means that many farmers have had to move to the cities in search of work.

depletion – the reduction in the number or quality of something.
- Over-fishing has led to the depletion of the ocean’s fish stocks.

fumes – strong, unpleasant and sometimes dangerous gas or smoke.
- Car exhaust fumes are a major contributor to air pollution.

smog – a mixture of smoke, gases, and chemicals, especially in cities, that makes the atmosphere difficult to breathe and harmful for health.
- Some days the smog is so bad that people are forced to stay indoors.

air quality – the extent to which the air is free of pollution.
- When the company was forced to install filters in their factories chimneys, the air quality in the area improved considerably.

poisonous – having chemical properties that can cause harm or kill.
- Hundreds of people became seriously ill when poisonous chemicals from the nearby factory seeped into the water system.

toxic – poisonous.
- The dumping of toxic waste in the ocean is totally unacceptable and must be stopped.

threat  – something or someone that is a risk or a danger.
The greatest threat to the environment comes from the actions of human beings.

to endanger – to expose something to harm or destruction.
- Organised poaching is endangering the survival of the African rhino.

poaching – the illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals.
- Elephant’s valuable tusks make them a target for poaching.

drought – a long period when there is little or no rain.
- The severe drought meant that the crops failed for the second year running and many people faced starvation.

flooding – when an area of land that is normally dry is covered with water.
- We have been told to expect more violent storms and frequent flooding as a result of global warming.

flash floods – a sudden, local flood caused by very heavy rainfall.
- The flash flood washed a whole village from the hillside, killing dozens of people.

to protect – keep safe from harm, injury or damage.
- Many charities have been set up around the world for the purpose of protecting endangered species.

to preserve – to keep something as it is
If we don’t take steps to preserve the environment, we will lose some important natural habitats in the very near future.

wildlife preservation – the practice of protecting wild plant and animal species and their habitats.

to recycle – to collect waste materials and process them to create new materials and products that can be used again.
- We can dramatically reduce the amount of rubbish we send to landfill sites by recycling our waste plastic.

biodegradable – able to decompose naturally without harming or polluting the environment.
- I always try to buy products with biodegradable packaging.

carbon-neutral – replacing the same amount of carbon dioxide as we produce through actions such as planting trees.
- Becoming carbon-neutral is something for both individuals and industries to work towards. 

sustainable – involving methods that do not use up or destroy natural resources.
- With advances in technology, it is hoped that we will eventually be able to replace fossil fuels with sustainable energy sources.

sustainability – the idea that we should meet our own needs in ways that do not damage the environment and that do not use resources that cannot be replaced.
- It is encouraging to see an increasing number of companies making a commitment to environmental sustainability.

renewable energy – energy from a source that is not depleted when used.
- Where I live, both solar power and wind power are important sources of renewable energy. 

solar power – power obtained by harnessing the energy of the sun's rays.
- Hussan fitted solar panels to his roof last year and is now able to produce all the energy he needs to run his home from solar power.

energy-efficient – using only as much energy as is needed without any waste.
- When I buy a new appliance, I look for one that is energy-efficient as it will be cheaper to run and be more environmentally-friendly.

wind turbine –  a tall structure with blades that are blown round by the wind and produce power to make electricity.
- Many farmers in my area have installed wind turbines to provide the electricity they need.

wind farm – a group of wind turbines.
- We were horrified when they got permission to build a wind farm in our beautiful countryside, but we’re used to it now and understand how important it is to generate renewable energy.

clean energy – energy produced from renewable energy resources and which doesn’t produce emissions that contribute to global warming.
- Scientists predict that clean energy could reliably and affordably provide up to 80 per cent of U.S. electricity by 2050.

organic farming – farming without the use of synthetic chemicals.
- Concern for the environment is leading to changes in agricultural methods and especially to a greater interest in organic farming.

afforestation – the action of planting trees on an area of land in order to make a forest. 
- Afforestation is vital if we are to reduce the carbon-dioxide levels in the atmosphere. 

to go green – to choose an environmentally-friendly lifestyle.
- In an attempt to go green, my family is recycling everything we can and we no longer buy bottled water.

on foot – to walk rather than use a form of transport.
- When the weather is fine, I go to work on foot rather than catching the bus.

safeguard – take action to protect something from harm or damage.
- It is the responsibility of all of us to safeguard the environment for future generations.

urban – relating to, or characteristic of a town or city.
- In the UK, foxes thrive in urban areas and can often be seen on the streets at night.

rural – in, relating to, or characteristic of the countryside rather than the town.
- I was born in a small village and still prefer to live in a rural area. 

boiling hot: an expression to describe a very hot weather. 
The last summer was boiling hot, the average temperature reached 40 degrees!

mild: warm and pleasant. 
The weather in my country is mild in spring.

chilly: cold.
It's chilly today, so I think you should wear a coat.

freezing cold: very cold. 
I wanted to go ice skating on the New Year day, but it was freezing cold and I decided to stay home.

degrees Celsius: used to measure the temperature.
In the autumn, the average temperature here is 15 degrees Celsius

to go below zero: to become negative (about temperatures).
The temperature often goes below zero in the winter.

gloomy: weather with dark clouds and dull light. 
Personally, I don’t like gloomy weather. It makes me feel depressed.

clear: without clouds. 
I adore clear weather, when there are no clouds on the sky.

to clear up: when clouds and rain disappear. 
After a long rain, it finally cleared up.

humid: containing a high amount of water. 
In my country the climate is generally cold and humid, especially in the north.

snow-covered: covered with snow. 
In the winter my family and I go skiing to the snow-covered hills of Switzerland.

heavy snow: when a lot of snow falls. 
Children went to school in spite of the heavy snow.

frosty: cold. 
Continental climate implies hot summers and frosty winters.

snowstorm: large amounts of wind and snow. 
I don’t like winters because of frequent snowstorms.

hail: when small balls of ice (hailstones) fall from the sky. 
After the hail, we found hailstones that were the size of golf balls!

high wind = strong wind. 
In the autumn strong winds are quite frequent. 

breeze: a nice gentle wind. 
I don’t usually like windy weather, but a light breeze from the ocean makes me happy.

wind chill factor: when the wind makes the air feel colder than the real temperature. 
In my hometown it’s very windy in the winter. And though the temperature rarely goes below zero, with wind chill factor it feels like minus 10!

sunshine: the heat and light of the sun. 
I love summertime because of the long days and bright sunshine.

dry: with no rain. 
Summers in Turkey are often hot and dry.

heat stroke (sun stroke): a serious heat illness because of being too long in hot weather. 
It’s often boiling hot in my city in the summer and a lot of people suffer from heat stroke.

a spell of good weather: a period of good weather. You can use other adjectives instead of "good" to describe weather.
After a three-day spell of rainy weather, there was a spell of sunny weather.

changeable weather: weather that often changes. 
In my country the weather is very changeable, periods of hot weather can be followed by heavy rains or even snowstorms!

mild climate: a climate without extreme weather conditions.

smog: a cloud of pollution. 
My town is so polluted that I don’t see stars at night because of thick smog!

forecast: a prediction of how the weather will change. 
Although the forecasts predicted a mild winter, the January was freezing cold

blizzard – a storm with very heavy snow and strong winds.
- It’s dangerous driving on the roads in a blizzard.

whiteout – snowfall that is so heavy that it’s almost impossible to see anything.
- I was so glad I decided not to drive to the shops as the light snowfall soon turned into whiteout conditions.

flurry – very light snowfall.
- The children were hoping for heavy snow so they could make a snowman but all we got were light flurries.

avalanche – a large mass of snow and ice sliding rapidly down a mountainside.
- It was reported that five skiers were caught in the avalanche and rescuers are trying to dig them out.

snowdrift – a bank of deep snow formed by the wind.
- The road was blocked by snowdrifts blown by the strong winds.

sleet – a mixture of rain and snow.
- The sleet made the pavements slippery and it was difficult not to fall over.

slush – partly melted snow
- As the temperature rose slightly, the glistening white snow turned to mucky slush.

below freezing – below zero degrees Celsius or 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
- I put on a thick coat, gloves, hat and a scarf before going outside as it was well below freezing.

ice – very cold water in a solid state; you only see it when the temperature is below freezing.
- I had to clear ice from my car windscreen before I could drive to meet my friend.

icy – covered in ice; slippery because of ice.
- It’s better for elderly people to stay indoors when it’s icy as they can easily fall over and break a bone.

frozen – when the temperature is so cold that water has turned to ice or expression to mean feeling very cold.
- It was so cold that the surface of the pond was frozen.
- Ingrid got absolutely frozen watching her son’s team playing football.

bitterly cold – extremely cold.
- The sun was shining but there was a bitterly cold wind blowing.

Jack Frost – mythical character who comes out at night and lays out frost. 
- We woke in the morning to see that Jack Frost had been in the night.

frostbite – injury to any part of the body caused by overexposure to extreme cold.
- Frostbite is one of the greatest dangers faced by Arctic explorers.

to dress up warm – to wear warm clothes to protect yourself against wintry conditions.
- If you go out to play in the snow, be sure to dress up warm.

to melt – the process by which snow or ice changes to water as the temperature rises above freezing.
- After a week of freezing conditions, the temperature rose and the snow finally began to melt.

a cold spell / cold snap – a short period of cold weather.
- The weather is usually mild at this time of year but the forecasters say we’re in for a cold spell next week.
- The sudden cold snap had us searching for our hats, gloves and scarves.

precipitation – water that falls to the earth in the form of rain, hail, mist, sleet, or snow.
- The average annual precipitation in London is 23 inches (58 cm) which makes it drier than New York which has an average of 50 inches (127cm) of rain per year.

heavy rain – intense rainfall.
- The heavy rain kept the children indoors all day despite it being the weekend.

torrential rain – very heavy rain.
- The torrential rain was making driving conditions hazardous.

driving rain – heavy rain mixed with strong wind.
- We walked on through the driving rain, wanting to get home as quickly as possible.

to pour – to rain heavily.
- It was pouring with rain when I set off for the bus stop.

downpour – heavy shower of rain.
- Christian got caught in a downpour on his way to the party but fortunately had an umbrella with him.

cloudburst – sudden rainfall that it over quickly.
- The sudden cloudburst took them by surprise and they had to run for shelter.

raining cats and dogs – raining heavily.
- What miserable weather. It’s been raining cats and dogs all day.

to get drenched / soaked – to get very wet.
- Ekrem left her coat at home and got drenched in the cloudburst.
- The children had great fun playing in the rain but got soaked to the skin.

rainy day – a day when it rains a lot.
- I quite like a rainy day as I can be lazy and cuddle up by the fire with a good book.

a drop of rain – a small amount of rain.
- There was a drop of rain in the afternoon but it didn’t spoil our day out.

drizzle – very light rain.
- There was a bit of drizzle in the air as we set off on our walk but it didn’t come to anything.

gentle rain – light rain.
- The gentle rain was quite welcome at the end of a long, hot day as it really cooled the air.

shower (of rain) – a quick, light rainstorm.
- It was only a shower of rain so we didn’t get too wet.
- It was only a quick shower so we didn’t get too wet.

to get caught in the rain – to be outside when it rains unexpectedly.
- Meena was soaked through having got caught in the rain without a coat on.

to be rained off – to be cancelled or postponed because it’s raining or expected to rain.
- The pupils were looking forward to the school sports day but sadly it got rained off.

let up – to stop raining.
- We’ll go out for a walk if there’s a let up in the rain.

puddle – a small pool of water usually formed by rainfall.
- When I was young, I loved splashing in puddles.

to flood – when a large amount of water flows over an area of land that is normally dry.
- There had been so much rain that the road was flooded.

a flash flood – a sudden and severe flood.
- The flash flood brought mud and debris gushing down the road bringing traffic to a standstill.

burst its banks – when a river overflows onto the land due to heavy rainfall and causes flooding.
- After nearly three days of continuous rain, the river burst its banksflooding the town.

rainbow – an arch of colours seen in the sky during or after rainfall when it is also sunny.
- As the storm passed, a beautiful rainbow appeared in the sky.

monsoon – the season of heavy rain in tropical climates.
- Nearly all of the country’s annual rainfall falls during the monsoon.

rainy season – another term for the time of the monsoon.
- The rainy season in my country is normally July to October.

horrid weather – unpleasant weather.
- I’m fed up of this horrid weather and can’t remember when I last saw any sunshine.

foul weather – bad weather.
- The foul weather kept the fishing boats in the harbour as it was too dangerous for them to go to sea.

sunny spells – short periods of sunny weather.
- It was mostly cloudy for our trip to the zoo but there were some sunny spells in the afternoon. 

heatwave – a period of very hot weather.
- Summer weather in the UK can be very unpredictable but this year we had a real heatwave.

to come out (the sun) – when the sun appears out of a cloudy sky.
- We were so pleased that the sun came out for our wedding photos as it had been a bit of a dull day up to then.

scorcher – a very hot day.
- The day was a real scorcher, far too hot to be out in the sun for very long.

drought – a long period with no rainfall.

arid – having had little or no rain for a long time; too dry to support vegetation.
- Large areas of Australia are suffering from drought. The land has become arid and cattle and sheep on the ranches are dying from a lack of food and water.

stifling – uncomfortable hot; can make you feel breathless.
- The heat of the day was stifling so the expedition travelled only at night when it was cooler.

sweltering – extremely hot.
- My classroom is sweltering in the summer so I take the children outside and we have lessons in the shade of a large tree. 

close – warm and uncomfortable.
- We don’t have a humid climate in the UK but in summer it is often closewhich leaves you feeling sweaty and lethargic.

sunburn – painful red skin caused by being in the sun too long.

exposed to sunlight – allowing strong sunshine to fall on the skin.
- It’s important to limit our exposure to sunlight as sunburn can lead to skin cancer.

suntan / tanned – brown skin caused by long periods of exposure to sunlight.
- Jay got a great suntan on his sailing holiday in Greece and arrived home looking tanned and healthy.

sunscreen / suntan lotion – a cream or lotion that protects the skin from the damaging UV (ultraviolet) rays of the sun.
- As children, we were never allowed out to play in the sun without sunscreen on.

glorious weather – wonderful weather.
- We had glorious weather on our holiday in France.

fine weather – lots of sunshine and no rain.
- The fine weather we’re having at the moments has lifted everyone’s spirits.

pleasant weather – warm temperatures and mainly clear skies.
- Jerry made the most of the pleasant weather to get some gardening done.

a break in the weather – when the rain stops for a while.
- I waited for a break in the weather before taking the dog for a walk.

a spell of fine weather – a short period of good weather.
- It’s been a pretty awful summer but we’re finally enjoying a spell of fine weather.

clear blue skies – a sky without clouds.
- The clear blue skies drew hordes of tourists to the beach.

not a cloud in the sky – when no clouds are visible.
- There wasn’t a cloud in the sky and it promised to be a glorious day.

cloud – a grey or white mass, made up of very small drops of water, floating in the sky.
- As the dark clouds drifted overhead, Yana rushed to the garden to bring in her dry washing before it rained.

cloudy – when there are lots of clouds in the sky.
- Although it was a cloudy day, they still had a good time on the beach.

overcast – very cloudy with no sun is visible.
- Thahn was disappointed that it was overcast for the barbecue but at least it wasn’t raining.

partly cloudy – when it is sunny and cloudy at the same time.
- The TV weather forecast has said partly cloudy but it ended up being overcast for most of the day.

dull – not clear, bright or sunny.
-  Dull days can be rather depressing, especially at this time of year when it’s cold outside and daylight hours are short.

windy – when there is a lot of wind.
- It was a windy day and Dan spend the afternoon flying his kite.

gale – a very strong wind.
- The gale blew all night and caused damage to several buildings.

gust – a sudden, strong blast of wind.
- It was a fierce storm with gusts of up to 80 miles an hour.

blustery – blowing in strong gusts.
- Kali’s umbrella turned inside out in the blustery weather. 

wind chill (factor) – when the wind makes the air feel colder than the actual temperature.
- It was just above freezing but the wind chill factor made it feel more like minus 5.

picking up – becoming stronger
- The wind started picking up at about 3.00 pm and an hour later had reached gale force.

fog – a thick cloud of tiny water droplets close to the ground or sea that makes it difficult to see.
- I hate driving in fog as it’s hard to see other cars on the road.

foggy – when there is a lot of fog.
- It’s so foggy today that I can hardly see the houses across the street.

storm – severe rainy and windy weather.
- The storm brought a tree down in our garden which only just missed our house.

thunder – a loud rumbling or crashing noise heard in the sky, especially during a storm.
- We heard the thunder in the distance and knew that a storm was on its way.

lightning – electric flash of light in the sky.
- The lightning lit up the whole sky and was quite spectacular.

thunderstorm – a storm that includes thunder and lightning.
- My pets hate thunderstorms. The dog barks at the thunder and the cat hides under the bed.

tropical storm – a storm with very high winds typical of tropical regions.
- The first time I was in a tropical storm I was very frightened as I’d never experienced such high winds before.

Hurricane / cyclone / typhoon – a tropical storm with extremely strong, damaging wind. The difference between them is where the storm originates in the world. Hurricanes come in from the Atlantic Ocean, cyclones from the Indian Ocean and typhoons from the Pacific Ocean.
- In 2017, a hurricane devastated the Caribbean island of Anguilla.

changeable – weather that often changes.
- The weather is very changeable at the moment and it’s difficult to decide what to wear to go out.

unpredictable – likely to change suddenly and therefore not easy to predict.
- The weather in the Scottish islands is notoriously unpredictable so it’s best to carry a raincoat at all times.

weather permitting – if the weather allows it.
- We’ll be having a family picnic in the park at the weekend, weather permitting.

the weather holds – fine weather continues.
- I hope the weather holds as I have a few days off next week.

freak weather conditions – weather conditions, often extreme and destructive, that are not normal for that place.
- Freak weather conditions are becoming more common due to global warming and climate change.

long-range forecast – the weather forecast for several days or weeks ahead.
- The long-range forecast is a bit disappointing as it predicts rain by the weekend. 

architecture – the practise of designing buildings; the style in which buildings are made
- Paulo studied architecture at university before joining the family building business.
- My favourite style of architecture is Georgian because it is bold and beautiful but not too ornate.

architect – a person who designs buildings
- Tammy’s friends laughed when she said she wanted to design houses when she left school but she grew up to be an award-winning architect.

feature – a distinctive attribute or aspect of something
- The best feature of the new church in our town is the stunning, modern spire.

façade – the front of a building, especially a large or attractive building
- The British Museum in London is famous for its grand Classical façade.

landmark – an object or building that is easily seen and recognized from a distance, especially one that enables someone to establish their location
- The Eiffel Tower is probably the best-loved landmark in Paris.

heritage – things, such as buildings and traditions, that are important to a nation's history
- Some people complain that large historic houses cost a lot to maintain but they are part of our heritage and should be preserved.

brick – a small rectangular block typically made of fired or sun-dried clay, used in building
- They decided to build their house with bricks rather than concrete blocks.

concrete – building material that is made by mixing together cement, sand, small stones and water
- Concrete is a very popular building material because it is strong and can be moulded into different shapes.

reinforced concrete – concrete with metal bars or wire embedded in to increase its strength
- Reinforced concrete is the perfect material for constructing large structures such as tower blocks and bridges.

steel – a strong hard metal that is made of a mixture of iron and carbon
- Modern architects such as Zaha Hadid use steel to create stunning Futuristic designs rather than just using it to form the hidden framework of a building.

timber – wood that is prepared for use in building
- In Sweden, timber is a popular building material because they have lots of forests.

marble – a type of hard stone, often with a beautiful lined pattern going through it, that can be highly polished
- The Taj Mahal is the most famous building in the world made from marble.

manor house – a large country house surrounded by land that belongs to it
- It’s so nice to see the old manor house being renovated after the previous owners let it fall into disrepair.

castle – a strong building, often large, built in the past by a ruler or important person to protect the people inside from attack
- Most castles were built on a hill so that the occupants could see the enemy approaching.

sky-scraper – a very tall building
- With the development of stronger building materials, they are able to build skyscrapers higher and higher.

office block – a building made up of many different offices, often of different companies
- Many old buildings in the city are being demolished to make way for smart new office blocks.

warehouse – large building built for the storage of raw materials or manufactured goods before they are distributed for sale
- There is a real trend for converting old warehouses into fashionable apartments.

public building – a building owned by the state or local government and used by the public, e.g. townhall, library, museum, leisure centre
- Many public buildings are quite old and cost a lot of money to maintain

commercial building – buildings that are used for commercial purposes, such as, office blocks, shops and warehouses
- Most of my architect friends design houses but I much prefer working on commercial buildings.

prefabricated building (prefab) – buildings that are made in sections in a factory and can be put together quickly
- Prefabs were popular after the war when many new homes had to be built quickly but are coming back into fashion with new technology and modern designs.

historic building – an old building that is important to history
- We are fortunate in my country to have many magnificent historic buildings.

a ruin – a building reduced to a state of decay and collapse
- One of the most visited historic sites in the world is the Inca ruins at Machu Picchu in Peru. 

monument – a statue, building, or other structure erected to commemorate a notable person or event, often of historical importance
- India gate is one of the most recognisable monuments in India.

column – large, upright pillar, typically cylindrical, supporting the upper part of a building
- The huge columns of many ruined Greek temples are still standing today.

pillar – a tall vertical structure of stone, brick, wood, or metal, used as a support for a building
- The roof was supported by two rows of brick pillars.

arch – a curved symmetrical structure spanning an opening and typically supporting the weight of a bridge, roof, or wall above it
- Old churches are one of the best places to see impressive arches.

steeple – a tall pointed roof, usually on a church
- The church steeple could be seen for many miles away from the town.

spire – similar to a steeple but usually a narrower structure
- Skyscrapers such as the Shanghai World Finance Center often have a spire built on top to make them taller and thus increase their prestige.

tower – a tall, narrow building, either free-standing or forming part of a large building such as a church or castle
- There was an amazing view over the city from the top of the tower.

dome – a rounded roof
- The dome of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul is one of the most recognisable domes in the world.

balcony – a platform enclosed by a wall or bars on the outside of a building, with access from an upper-floor window or door
- My dream home would have a balcony overlooking the sea.

• Classical – characteristic of the architecture of ancient Greece and Rome
• Gothic – characterised by large expanses of glass, clustered columns, sharply pointed spires, intricate sculptures and pointed arches
• Georgian – based on the simple elegance of classical architecture, with little ornamentation. Symmetry of design was important.
• Victorian – characterised by sash windows set in bay windows, an asymmetrical shape, bright colours and decorative features
• Art Deco – characterised by simple, clean shapes, usually with a ‘streamlined’ look and decoration that is geometric or stylised forms of plants, animals and sunrays
• Islamic – known for its arches, domes, minarets, geometric designs, courtyards and often colourful tile decoration
• Modernist – typically characterized by simple designs in glass, steel and reinforced concrete and no ornamentation
• Futuristic – extremely modern and unusual in appearance, as if belonging to a future time

elegant – graceful and stylish in appearance
- Amira loved the elegant lines of the building’s Art Deco façade.

stunning – extremely impressive or attractive
- Igor had doubts about the Futuristic design of the new library building but had to admit that it looked absolutely stunning when finished.

eye-catching – very attractive or noticeable
- She found the carved stone pillars particularly eye-catching.

ornate –  covered with a lot of decoration, especially complicated designs
- It’s common for grand manor houses to have ornate ceilings.

a radical design – extreme
- Pilau liked his buildings to stand out and was well-known for his radical designs.

controversial – something that people have strong opinions about; something that people either love or hate
- The design of the new town hall was certainly controversial and strongly opposed by many people.

iconic – in architecture, a design that is 'ground-breaking' and sets new standards or a building that represents a particular style of architecture
- The Sydney Opera House is Australia’s most iconic building.

state of the art – incorporating the newest ideas and features
- The new hospital was state of the art and medical professionals from across the country were eager to work there.

spacious – having lots of space for people to move around in
- Older properties tend to have more spacious rooms than modern homes.

geometric – patterns or shapes consisting of regular shapes or lines
- Many styles of architecture incorporate geometric designs both for strength as well for decoration.

symmetrical – where one side is the same as the other
- If you cut a symmetrical design in half, one side is the mirror image of the other.

ugly / unsightly – unpleasant to look at; not attractive
- I think that the houses being built on many new housing estates are really ugly.

monstrosity – a thing, especially a building, which is very large and unsightly
- The civic centre in our town, of typical 1960’s design, is a total monstrosity and I wish they’d demolish it to build something more attractive.

eyesore – a building that is not attractive

fall into disrepair – to be in a damaged state, often to the extent that it is dangerous
- The cinema used to be a beautiful building but has become a bit of an eyesore since it fell into disrepair.

past its heyday – no longer at the peak of popularity or success
- Although Victorian architecture is past its heyday, Victorian townhouses are still very popular as they make spacious family homes.

• derelict – in very poor condition as a result of disuse and neglect
• demolish – completely destroy a building

energy efficient – using little electricity, gas, etc.
- These days, one of the most important considerations in building design and the choice of building materials is energy efficiency.

insulation – material used to stop heat escaping
- In cold climates, it’s important for buildings to be well insulated and glass fibre is often used as roof insulation.

double glazing – windows which have two layers of glass with a space between them, designed to reduce the loss of heat and exclude noise
- The first thing they did to improve the old property was to put in double glazed windows.

eco-friendly – not harmful to the environment
- Installing solar panels to cut down on the use of fossil fuels is one of the best ways to make your home eco-friendly.

wheelchair friendly – meets the needs of people who use a wheelchair in terms of access and internal services
- Historic houses that are open to the public are required to make alterations to ensure that they are as wheelchair friendly as is practically possible.

ceiling – the top inside surface of a room
- A popular feature of Georgian properties is their high ceilings which make rooms feel really spacious.

stairs – a long set of steps inside a building joining the different levels
- The children were told not to leave their toys on the landing in case someone tripped over them and fell down the stairs.

storey – a level of a building
- The three-storey house with an extra bedroom in the attic was perfect for Milek, Edyta and their four children.

fireplace – a space in the wall at the base of a chimney for a fire to burn
- When people renovate Victorian properties they often remove the old fireplaces but some keep them as decorative features.

blueprint – a design plan or other technical drawing
- Bruno and Claudia were so excited when the architect rang to say that the blueprints of their new house were ready for them to look at.

planning permission – formal permission from a local authority for the erection or alteration of a building
- It’s very difficult to get planning permission to make alterations to a historic building.

to construct – to build
- It took five years to construct the Buri Khalifa skyscraper in Dubai.

to put up  – to build
- They are putting up an ugly office block on the site of the lovely old theatre.